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FRANKJ. STEINHAUSER, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 93,243, dated August 3, 1869.

MODE OI' IBALANCING THE KEYS OI' PIANOS, &c.

Tae Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and makingI part of the same.

To all whom it may concern ance in place.

Figure 2, thel balance detached,l say half size.

Figure 3 is an outline view of the `several parts, to illustrate the action of the ordinary key.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a means which may be applied either on the upper or lower surface of the key A, .and to do away with the tedious and uncertain Inode of balancing the keys heretofore in use, by means of leaden rivets, or when 'necessary to weight the keys, to' provide a certain means of balancing each key to a'certain given weight or touch desired, so as to secure a perfect uniformity with ease and dispatch.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, it is only necessary to inspect the drawings.

Fig. 2 shows a weight, B, having a thread cut-in it, for the bent screw a, as shown.

Simple as this invention may seem, it is of the utmost utility, and affords .the means of adjusting the balance of each key with the greatest exactness, by

moving the weight B back or forward on t-lie long screwloop b, and using aweight on the outer end of the key, to indicate the force of touch desired. Thus' the exact degree of touch will act with uniformity "throughout, and in trilling, running, and brilliant passages, such uniformity of touch is of the iirst importance inexecution, as the action of the key is reliable, and will not disappoint the performer, by striking harderthan expected, or not with the force intended. The balancing of the keys heretofore was a tedious process,-

depending mainly on the judgment and experienced guesswork of the machinist; but-by this method the professor of music can adjust the balance 'of the keys for himself, and give the instrument a greater or lessdegree of requiredforce, so that it can be regulated to yield to the touch of a child, or for the heavier hand of the adult male performer, or intermediate adaptt tions. l

I am aware that balancing the keys of pianos is not new, but I am not aware that this simple and eiiicient device was ever known or nsedfor such a purpose or so applied.

NVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The application of the weighted-screw. or adjustingbalance B b, when employed on the keys of musical instruments, in the manner and for the purpose speci' fied.

- FRANK J. STEINHAUSER.

iVitnesses:

J No. M. AMWEG, S. R. EvER'rs. 

